Sudden cardiac arrest is commonly treated mechanically and/or by electrical defibrillation. Mechanical treatment may be given manually or by a chest compression apparatus. The length of a compression/decompression cycle is typically from half a second to one second. A number of chest compression apparatus are known in the art, such as the pneumatically driven LUCAS™ mechanical chest compression/decompression system (“Lucas™ system”; an apparatus for compression and physiological decompression in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation, CPR, manufactured by Jolife A B, Lund, Sweden). Specifically the Lucas™ system comprises a support structure and a compression/decompression unit. The support structure includes a back plate for positioning the patient's back posterior to the patient's heart and a front part for positioning around the patient's chest anterior to the heart. The front part has two legs, each having a first end pivotally connected to at least one hinge of the front part and a second end removably attachable to the back plate. The front part is devised to centrally receive the compression/decompression unit which is arranged to repeatedly compress/decompress the patient's chest when the front part is attached to the back plate. The compression/decompression unit comprises a pneumatic unit arranged to drive and control compression and decompression, an adjustable suspension unit to which a compression/decompression pad is attached, and a means for controlling the position of the pad in respect of the patient's chest. Defibrillation may be provided independently of and concomitantly with mechanical stimulation.
In cardiac arrest it is of utmost importance that adequate circulation be re-established as soon as possible, that is within a few minutes from the onset of arrest. Any delay might lead to irreversible tissue damage. By “adequate circulation” is understood a circulation which is sufficient to protect vital organs and tissues from (further) damage, in particular by damage caused by insufficient oxygen supply. Due to this requirement mechanical compression/decompression has to be started on the spot and most often continued during the transport of the patient to the hospital. It is thus important that the apparatus for mechanical compression/decompression can be moved with the patient while continuing with providing mechanical stimulation.
A problem with apparatus for treating cardiac arrest known in the art is that due to the vigorous pneumatic or other compression action and the anatomy of the human body, the apparatus has a tendency to move in respect to the patient in a caudal direction. This necessitates monitoring of the apparatus' position by the attending personnel in respect of the patient and to correct it, if needed. In a stressful situation like the one in which the apparatus for treating cardiac arrest is applied, this sort of monitoring may detract the attending personnel from other important duties. The present invention seeks to remedy this problem.
Another problem with apparatus for treating cardiac arrest known in the art is that moving them with a patient necessitates the assistance of three persons: Two to lift and carry the patient's body with the apparatus, one to the left and one to the right of the patient holding the apparatus with one hand and supporting the patient's seat with the other, and a third for holding the head to prevent it from falling back.